Flytrap



July 12' 1927' E. M. NEwcoMER FLYTRAP smet 1 ets Filed Sept. 14, 1926 2She July 12.1927. 1,635,951

E. M. NEWCOMER FLYTRAP Filed sept. 14, 1926 2 sneets-smzez 2 PatentedJuly 12, 1927.

UNITED 'sTATEs PATENT oFFlci-:.-

EDWRD M. NEWCOMER, OF NEWBURG, IOWA.

FLYTRAP.

Application filed September 14, 1926. Serial No. 135,397.

This invention relates to fly traps and more particularly to a device ofthat character wherein means are provided for engaging an animal passingthrough the trap to sweep the fiies from th cause the same to settle Animportant object to provide a novel 'and improved means for settling thefiies within the passage through which the animal passes to cause theflies to ascend to the upper end or ceiling of the passage wherein thetraps are located.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel andimproved vmeans for removing the flies from the animal,

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thisCharacter which is particularly adapted for use in connection withdaii'y catt-l'e and which may be so located that the animals must pass'therewithin the trap.

tl'n'ough on their wayito and from a barn.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in theaccompanying (lrawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is showna preferred embodiment of my invention and whereim- Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a fly trap constructed in accordance with my invention; i

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

F igure 3 is an end elevation ofthe fly nap- 07 a o v Figure 4 is asection on the line 4+4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4. i

eferring now more particularl drawings, the lnumeral general nates theside walls of a` passage accordance with my invention, are divided. intoupper and lower section 11 and lower sectionv 12, the upper edge ofwhich extends to the approximate level of the belly of the animal forwhich the passage is in- 3174 desigw iich, in

tended, is opaque, so that the vlower p'ortion` of the passa-ge isdarker, while the upper 1port-ion is transparent and covered withscreenwire throughout. This upper portion is centrally offset,as at 13,'toprovide bays,

which enlarge the upper portion of the pas-` `sage and which arellkew-ise screen' The upper endsof the side-:walls and the Vbays areconnected by a screen cover 14.

Arranged withinthe passage area plue lanimal and of the invention i isto the tain the brushes 27 12, the

'to either side of the rality of pairs of Vupwardly converging screenwalls 15, the peaks 16 of which terminate short of the screenv ceiling14 and are formed with. openings 17 permitting the passage of fiies. Inthe upper end of each. bay, a. similar pair of converging strips 17' areemployed, each of these pairs of strips acting to guide tfiies upwardlythrough the openings tothe spacel between the converging pairs of screenwalls and the roof which forms a trap Chamber 18. o pwardly con-lverging pairs of supports 17zl are provided for the converging screenwalls 15, these strips being inclined so thattheir ,upper ends are morenearly adjacent the outer ends of the passage. than their lower ends. Tothese strips are secured transversely eX- tending screen partitions 17hvwhich act as fly Settlers directing flies moving between walls andtoward the outer end of the passage upwardly to the openings 17.

Located at the center of the passage is a sweep, which comprises upper'curtains 20 and side curtains 21 .combining to obscure view through thepassage withl the exception of a small centrally arranged Verticalopening 22 through which thecattle may observe the light and so becaused to pass through the passageh To the lower edge of the uppercurtains, a backrcurrying chain orbrush 23 is secured, the ends of thischain being connected by Springs '2 posts 25 forming supiports for theside walls 10 at the center of the passagel. In approximatealignment'with the upper edges of the lower sections 12 of these sidewalls, outwardly from the side walls and are provided at their innerends with belly llorushes 27. TheV brush holders v26 are constructed inany suitable Vman'ner7 so that they will main- `yieldably` at a centralthese brushes to move central position when of the animal.- In thethebrush holders 26 are position, permitting engaged by the legspresent" instance,

shown as comprising coil Springs which are rel'atively stiflI and havetheir outer ends secured to the posts 25, a's at 28, and their adjacentends secured to the brushes. Secured to the edges of the sidecurtains 21are side 'currying chains or lorushesA 29, the lower endsV ofv whichareconnected with the springsupportsl 2G and the upper ends of which areconnected with a cross bar 30 connecting the posts 25 by springs 31Extendthe hrush holders 26 project l Of) llO fact that the curtains 20ano animal to darlien the i ing transversely of the passa-ge immediatelyadjacent the curtains and adjacent the top of the pass-age is a springtensioned ilexible support 32 from which extend flexible nets 82aOperating againstthe faces of the curtains and by the agitation impartedthereto during passage of an animal therethrough preventingz; flies fromsettling; thereon. rihe flexible element 32 is preferably tensioned bySprings 32 connected With the side walls of the passage.

'Vithin the passage at opposite ends thereof7 the side walls areprovided with substantially vertically 'eiltending strips of screenmaterial 33, these strias beine' secured at their outer edgcs to theside ivails and having their inner edges diverging from the side wallston'ard the'longitudinal center of the passage. 1While these stripsarcsubstantially vertically disposed, they are somewhat inclined, so thatthe upper cnds thereof are arranged more nearly adjacent the center ofthe passage than the lower ends thereof. Then an animal passes throughthe passage- Way and arrives at the svveep 19, portions of the ,sr-teenwill engage practice-.lly every portion of the animalls anatomy to brushthe fiies therefrom. The bach and side chains and belly brushes'will, ofcourse, have close contact With the sides and belly of the animal, whilethe flexible elements 82a will be considerablj,1 agitated as the animalpasses through the sweep and disturb any flies which might be loca edupon the legs of the animal. T he disturbed .iies will move from thebottoin of the passage toward the upper 'end thereof because of thedarlrening of the Will. not attcinpt to fly through of the passage, dueto the l 21 combine pass-age and the opposlte end 'with the body of thepassage at its center. Flying toward the nearest light, the flies -willengage the side Walls and in moving therealong` Will come intoengagement With the vertically extendinp,` guard strips Due to the factthat these guard strips converge toward the longitudinal center of thepass-age, the flies will ascend the side Walls until they finally arriveat the roof and come between a pair of oonverging walls 15 or 16.Passing up- Wardly between these walls and 'through the opening 17, theyWill enter the trap chamber 18 where they Will be securely held.

In the operation of the sweep, it is pointed out that the chain or brush28 currying the bach of the animal Will be enabled to conform to the.Shaping of the back of the animal and to givelvertically, due to thespring connection thereof 'With the posts 25. The spring` connections ofthe chains or brushes 29 Will lilreivise permit these elements toeonform to the sides of the animal while the upward pull'occasioned bySpreading of these side brushes will cause the belly vbeen found durable.no diihculty having brushcs 27 to very irmly engage against the bellyof the animal.

A device of this character may bo very readily and cheaply constructedand has and efiicient in service,

been encountered in teaching` the animals to pass therethrough.

Since the construction hereinbefore set forth is capable of a certainrange or change and modifioationwithout materially departing` from thespirit of the invention, I do not limit myself to such specificstructure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claimz- 1. In a fiy trap for removing flies from animals, a passagehaving the lower portions of the side Walls thereof opaque and the upperportions screened, a screen ceiling for the passage, means combiningWith the ceiling to provide a fly trap' and directing upwardly movingflies thereinto, means at the center of the passage for engaging ananimal passin` therethrough to remove iies therefrom and means upon theside Walls of the passage directing` flies moving upwardly upon saidside walls to'svard'the center of the passage comprising' screen stripssecured to said side Walls and projecting inwardly therefrom, saidscreens inclining from their lower to their upper ends toward thetransvei'se center of the passage.

2. In a fly trap for removing` fiies from animals, a pass-age having`the lower portions of the side walls thereof opaque and the upperportions screened, a screen ceiling for the passage, means oombiningwith the ceiling to provide a 'fly trap and directing' upwardly movingfiies thereinto, means at the center of the passage for engagingan'animal passing therethrough to remove fiies theref'rom and means uponthe side walls of the passage directing` tlies moving upwardly upon saidside walls toward the center of the passage comprising screen stripssecured along` one edge to the walls of the passage, said stripsinclining toward the transverse center of the passage from their lowerto their upper ends and from their attached to their free edges.

3. In a fiy trap ifor removing flies from animals, a passage having thelower portions of the .side walls thereof opaque and the upperporti-onsscreened, a screen ceiling for the passage, means combiningwith the ceiling-to provide a flytrap and directing u Wardly movingfiies thereinto, means at t e center of the passage for engaging ananimal passing therethrough to remove fiies therefrom, means upontheside Walls of the passage directng fiies moving upwardly upon saidside walls toward the center of the passage, central portions of thescreened upper portions of the side walls being enlarged to provide baysand means at theupper ends of said bays directing flies into said trap.

4. In a fiy trap for removing flies from animals, a passage having thelower portions of the side walls thereof opaque and the upper portionsscreened, a screen ceiling for the passage, means combining with theceiling to provide a fly trap and directing upwardly moving fliesthereinto, means at the center of the passage for engaging an animalpassing therethrough torremoveflies therefrom, means upon the side wallsof the passage directing flies moving upwardly upon said side wallstoward the center of the passage, the means engaging the animalincluding curtains obscuring View through the passage with the exceptionof a centrally disposed opening' which, during the passage of theanimal, is obstructed by its body, means upon the edges of the ourtaindefining the opening' for engaging the back and sides of the animal,means for engaging the belly lof w the animal yielding to permit passageof the legs thereof, the means engaging the sides of the animal beingflexible and normally spaced from one another a vdistance less than thewidth of the body of the animal, a connection between the upper end ofsaid means and the wall of the passage and a connection between thelower end thereof and the belly engaging means whereby the bellyengaging means is urged upwardly during passage of the animal.

5. In a fiy trap for removing flies from animals, a passa-ge for theanimal, a screen ceiling for the passage, means combining with theceiling to provide a fly trap including upwardly converging walls havingopenings at the apices thereof, and means extending transversely of thespace between said walls for directing flies moving toward the outerends of the walls upwardly toward said openings.

n a fiy trap for removing flies from animals, a passage for the animal,a screen ceiling for the passage, means combining with the ceiling toprovide a fly trap including upwardly converging walls having opening'sat theapiees thereof, and means extending` transversely of the spacebetween said walls for directing flies moving toward the outer ends ofthe passage and between said walls upwardly toward said openingscomprising` screen partitions conneoting said walls and inclining fromtheir lower to their upper ends away from the center` of the pas- Sage.V

7. In a fly trap for removing flies from animals, a passage having ascreen celing means combining with the ceiling to provide a fly trap,means for directing wardly into the trap and means at the cel)- ter ofthe passage engaging an animal passing therethrough to remove fliestherefromA including elements for engaging the sides of the animal andother elements for engaging the belly of the animal, said elements forengaging' the sides of the animal being flexible and normally spaoedfrom one another a distance less than the width of the body of theanimal,ithe upper ends of said side engaging' elements being connectedwith the wall of the passage and a connection between the lower endsthereof and the belly engaging means whereby the belly engaging means isurged upwardly during the passage of the animal. i

In testimony whereof I hereunt-o affix my signature. a

EDWARD M. 'NEWCOMER passage and betweensaid 40

